Verstappen dons Brazil colours for Sao Paulo GP after winning in Mexico

Max Verstappen will race in Brazilian colours at this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix after revealing a special helmet design ahead of the race at Interlagos. The Red Bull driver has replaced his usual red, white and blue with the green, yellow and blue of the Brazilian flag, sharing the design on Instagram with the caption: “Bringing some samba to São Paulo.”

It is not the first time Verstappen has marked the occasion with a custom lid. Last year’s Sao Paulo helmet added gold and green accents to his usual lion motif, with the Dutchman describing the race as “special” — a sentiment that goes beyond the track. His partner, Kelly Piquet, is the daughter of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, and he counts Audi’s Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto among his closest friends.

Interlagos has also been the stage for some of the defining moments of Verstappen’s career. In 2016, only his second season in Formula 1, he climbed from 16th with 16 laps remaining to finish third in treacherous wet conditions — one of the earliest glimpses of his exceptional talent. He has since won at the circuit three times, in 2019, 2023 and 2024, with the most recent widely regarded as one of the greatest drives of his career. Starting 17th in heavy rain, he won for the first time in months and moved significantly closer to securing his fourth world title.

Even in 2023, when he started from the pitlane, Verstappen climbed to third, finishing less than half a second behind a young Kimi Antonelli in second.

He arrives in Sao Paulo in strong form, having won last weekend in Mexico to claim his sixth victory at that circuit. Antonelli has already clinched the drivers’ championship, but a win at a track where Verstappen has so often excelled would represent another impressive result heading into the final rounds of the season.

Verstappen is not alone in marking the occasion with a special design. Antonelli will wear a tribute helmet honouring Ayrton Senna, while both Antonelli and George Russell will race in purple suits for Mercedes across the weekend.